OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As Baltimore fans watched the Ravens improve to 3-1 with a 38-10 thumping of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, a report stated the University of Michigan could be targeting the services of head coach John Harbaugh.

With the Wolverines off to a disappointing 2-3 start and current head coach Brady Hoke’s status in severe doubt, the NFL Network reported that the program prefers the Ravens coach over younger brother and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, whose future in San Francisco remains uncertain beyond this season. This isn’t the first time the Harbaugh brothers have been linked to the Michigan football program as John graduated from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor and Jim played quarterback for the Wolverines before going on to play in the NFL.

Their father, Jack Harbaugh, served as an assistant under legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler in the 1970s.

According to The Sun, John Harbaugh is not interested in the job, but the head coach did not go out of his way to confirm or deny potential interest when asked Monday about once again being linked to Michigan. In addition to being under contract as one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL through the 2017 season, Harbaugh has remained close with Hoke after they coached together at Western Michigan in the mid-1980s.

“It seems like it’s kind of there. I don’t really know why,” said Harbaugh about being linked to Michigan. “Brady Hoke’s a guy that we believe in. The Harbaughs believe in Brady Hoke. He’s a great coach; he’s done it anywhere he’s ever been. He believes in Michigan. I believe in what they’re doing there. I think they’re going to get it turned around.”

Former Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison has served in the same capacity under Hoke since 2011, another link between the two. Rumors have also persisted that Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon could be on his way out, which would certainly complicate any potential search for a new head football coach in Ann Arbor.

On Saturday, the Wolverines fell to Minnesota for just the third time since 1967. This season marks the first time in its 135-year football history that Michigan has sustained three losses before the start of October.

“The team should be galvanized right now,” said Harbaugh, who has a 65-35 regular-season record in seven NFL seasons and guided the Ravens to a win in Super Bowl XLVII. “I would expect them to come out like a bunch of wounded lions and go to work, because they love Brady and they love those coaches. They’ve just got to [play]. I’m interested in Brady Hoke being the coach at Michigan for a long time to come.”

Webb’s status still mystery

Even though he didn’t appear on the injury report last week for the first time all season, cornerback Lardarius Webb was ruled inactive prior to the 38-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, creating even more uncertainty regarding his status.

Harbaugh acknowledged Webb’s struggles against Cleveland played a major role in deciding he still wasn’t ready to rejoin the Ravens’ starting defense. The head coach is hopeful that changes this Sunday as Baltimore travels to Indianapolis to take on the 2-2 Colts.

“I’ll probably have a pretty good idea after watching practice,” Harbaugh said about Webb’s status for Week 5. “I probably won’t let anybody know until Sunday. But it will be based on how he practices and how he looks in terms of getting his acceleration and his burst back — the things that everybody saw that weren’t quite there.”

Defensive coordinator Dean Pees continues to use strong safety Matt Elam in the nickel position, but rookie Terrence Brooks saw extensive action with 32 defensive snaps playing free safety in the nickel package against the Panthers. The 2014 third-round pick was inactive in Week 3 but fared well against Carolina, according to the head coach.

Harbaugh said the health of Webb’s back is no longer a concern after the cornerback didn’t practice from July 25 through the end of training camp.

“They tell me that he’s healthy now, and he says he feels healthy,” Harbaugh said. “But it’s just a matter of that strength and quickness and burst, which should come back fast. Anybody that has ever trained [knows] if you’ve been in great shape, you get back in shape pretty quickly, in terms of strength and burst and things like that. You just have to do it. He’s working really hard at it, and it very well could be this week.

“I’m sure hoping it’s this week. I want to see it this week, and we’ll be shooting for that.”

Two receivers going in different directions

After what was unofficially his fifth dropped pass of the season against the Panthers, struggling wide receiver Jacoby Jones finished the game having taken only seven offensive snaps, his lowest total of 2014.

Jones also made an ill-advised decision to field a punt at his own 2-yard line before returning it to the Baltimore 20. Harbaugh reiterated that the 30-year-old continues to work extremely hard in practice and is simply trying too hard to make a play.

“He catches the ball in practice. Sometimes I think he’s pressing,” Harbaugh said. “I really do. Jacoby has a lot of pride, and he’s made big, big plays in this league before, and he wants to pick up where he left off. [That] hasn’t happened for him, but the thing he has to know — just like Torrey [Smith], just like anybody – is that the key is persistence. You just keep hammering and you don’t get down on yourself, and focus on the fundamentals and the details, and it’ll work out.”

With Jones playing poorly, second-year wide receiver Marlon Brown has suddenly reemerged in the Baltimore offense after making three receptions for 31 yards and playing 31 offensive snaps, his highest total since Week 1.

The 6-foot-5 Brown gives the Ravens another appealing option in the red zone and on third down after tight end Dennis Pitta was lost for the season last week in Cleveland.

“He was in there on the first three-wide group,” Harbaugh said. “He did a good job, made a couple plays — third-down conversions that were very important. [He is a] big target, gets off press really well and blocks, and he did a good job in special teams. He played well. It kind of goes back to what we were saying as far as guys stepping up at different positions.”

Colts’ Landry suspended

The NFL announced Monday afternoon that Indianapolis safety LaRon Landry has been suspended four games without pay for violating the performance-enhancing drug policy.

His suspension begins this week as the Colts’ 21st-ranked pass defense will now be without its hard-hitting safety.

Every week, we’ll take a look at which Ravens players’ stock is rising and falling …

STOCK RISING

Justin Forsett Skinny: Even though Bernard Pierce received most of the workload against Pittsburgh, you still get the sense that Forsett is more comfortable running in a zone-blocking system and the veteran is superior to Pierce in pass protection. His size and age make you think he’ll continue to be the complementary back in the Baltimore running game, but Forsett has already provided a nice return on a one-year contract that garnered little attention in the offseason.

Kelechi Osemele Skinny: Any lingering concerns about the left guard’s ability to return from last season’s back surgery have been quelled after Osemele turned in an All-Pro performance against Cincinnati in Week 1. A key to offensive improvement in 2014 was better play from the interior line and Osemele, Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda, and center Jeremy Zuttah have received the highest grades of anyone on the offense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Brandon Williams Skinny: Though limited to only nine defensive snaps against Pittsburgh because the Ravens used their nickel package for most of the game, Williams has done exactly what the Ravens have asked of him by disrupting run plays with a good push at the line of scrimmage. The second-year nose tackle has even put a little heat on the quarterback in the rare opportunities he’s had to play in passing situations.

Jeremy Zuttah Skinny: His pass blocking hasn’t stood out, but Zuttah’s ability to get a strong push off the line of scrimmage has been evident on inside run plays through the first two weeks of the season. Sunday will mark his first road game with the Ravens, which will be a test in terms of making the proper protection calls with crowd noise being a factor, but it’s difficult not to be pleased with the sizable upgrade Zuttah has provided over last year’s starter Gino Gradkowski.

STOCK FALLING

Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson Skinny: These two are grouped together, because it’s apparent there will still be significant concern at the No. 3 cornerback position when Lardarius Webb does return. Brown is still too vulnerable in coverage on the outside while Jackson has missed several tackles from the nickel spot, factors that prompted the Ravens to use safety Matt Elam at the nickel position against Pittsburgh. It remains to be seen whether Jackson will be cleared to return Sunday from last week’s concussion.

Kyle Juszczyk Skinny: The second-year fullback looked like he would carve out a nice role in the passing game based on his preseason play, but Juszczyk has been limited to just 43 snaps in two games and has been targeted only once as a receiver out of the backfield. Even more concerning has been his vulnerability as a lead blocker as he hasn’t been able to generate much of a push to create space for Pierce or Forsett to maneuver behind him.

Daryl Smith Skinny: His first season in Baltimore was a pleasant surprise, but the 32-year-old veteran’s struggles against the run late last season have carried over in the first two games of 2014 as he has struggled to shed blocks to make tackles closer to the line of scrimmage. Smith’s biggest strength is in pass coverage, but you do wonder if the Ravens’ inside linebackers will wear down against the run as the year goes on with the light C.J. Mosley playing next to the veteran in the starting defense.

Marlon Brown Skinny: One of the few bright spots in a horrendous offense last year, the second-year receiver has all but disappeared in Gary Kubiak’s system after seeing just three offensive snaps against the Steelers a week after being targeted only once. Drop-off was to be expected with Steve Smith, Owen Daniels, and a fully-healthy Dennis Pitta now in the mix, but the 6-foot-4 receiver struggled to grasp the offense over the summer and hasn’t even been a factor in the red zone through the first two games.

As everyone else goes through the endeavor of making division-by-division forecasts that will ultimately mean very little, these predictions focus on the Ravens and their effort to bounce back from the first non-playoff season of the John Harbaugh era.

1. Joe Flacco will be the Ravens’ Most Valuable Player.

The quarterback won’t suddenly transform into a 5,000-yard passer with 35 touchdowns, but the arrival of offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak will bring the most efficient Flacco we’ve seen since the 2010 season when he completed nearly 63 percent of his passes and posted a 93.6 passer rating. A steadier running game will alleviate pressure on the seventh-year signal-caller to feel the need to do it all like he encountered last year, which will only make him more effective with better weapons to target. Flacco will throw 25 touchdown passes for the second time in his career.

2. Haloti Ngata will be playing his final season in Baltimore.

The Ravens and Ngata talked about a new contract this offseason in the same way the organization extended Terrell Suggs’ deal, but talks didn’t go anywhere with the five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle carrying a $16 million salary cap figure this year and next. The difference next year will be the ability to save $8.5 million in cap space by releasing him, which will be easier to execute with the emergence of second-round rookie Timmy Jernigan and nose tackle Brandon Williams this season. Though Ngata is still a good defensive tackle, anyone who’s closely watched him play over the last few years has seen a decline in impact and durability, making it likely this is his final season with the Ravens unless he alters his financial expectations significantly.

3. Kyle Juszczyk and Brandon Williams will be players to take a step forward.

The second-year fullback was a non-factor offensively as a rookie, but it’s clear Kubiak envisions a role for Juszczyk as a receiver out of the backfield, making it possible he catches 30 passes in the way H-back James Casey did in Kubiak’s Houston offense a few years ago. Meanwhile, Williams will need to emerge to soften the blow from the loss of defensive tackle Arthur Jones in free agency, and the 2013 third-round pick was impressive against the run in the preseason. The Ravens need more young players to emerge to offset the reality of several core players approaching the end of their careers, and Juszczyk and Williams will make a bigger impact in 2014 after very quiet rookie campaigns.

4. Marlon Brown and Elvis Dumervil will be players to take a step back.

Even though the second-year receiver had an inconsistent summer, his inclusion in this prediction has more to do with the sheer number of weapons added to the equation with a fully-healthy Dennis Pitta back and the free-agent additions of Steve Smith and Owen Daniels. Brown won’t catch 49 passes again, but he will still be a target in the red zone, which will give him a chance to make his limited opportunities count. Dumervil collected 9 1/2 sacks in his first season with the Ravens, but had only one in his final seven games. He added weight in the offseason, which sounds like a questionable strategy for a 30-year-old rush specialist dependent on speed to get around the edge.

5. Jimmy Smith will be the player who deserves to make the Pro Bowl but won’t.

Before a scary fall that caused bruising and bleeding from his lungs in the second preseason game, Smith was having the best summer of any Baltimore defensive player and appears primed for a breakout campaign after taking significant strides in his first season as a starter. The rest of the secondary is a major concern right now, but Smith could be chosen by defensive coordinator Dean Pees to shadow Cincinnati wideout A.J. Green and the other elite receivers the Ravens encounter in 2014. It may take another year for Smith to finally receive league-wide recognition after an injury-riddled start to his career, but he will play at a Pro Bowl level for an otherwise shaky secondary this season.

6. Terrence Brooks will be starting at free safety before Halloween.

If Smith and Lardarius Webb are healthy, the Ravens should be alright at cornerback even with uncertainty at the No. 3 spot, but there is no such comfort at safety where 2013 first-round pick Matt Elam and veteran newcomer Darian Stewart will start. The Ravens hope Elam playing closer to the line of scrimmage allows him to make a bigger impact, but his summer was quiet as he still struggled to cover and tackle consistently. Stewart didn’t show any signs of being an impact defender playing deep center field and the third-round rookie Brooks took major strides at the end of the summer, making it only a matter of time before the Florida State product supplants him in the starting defense.

7. Steve Smith will be the top veteran newcomer.

It’s easy to be skeptical of the impact Smith will bring at age 35 by pointing to his yards per catch average steadily decreasing over the last three seasons, but the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was too impressive this summer to think he won’t be a substantial upgrade to the offense. His swagger and attitude will pump life into an offense that lacked any a year ago, and he has the ability to help move the chains and provide production similar to what Anquan Boldin did in his three years with the Ravens when he averaged 882 receiving yards per season. He won’t be able to bring the same explosiveness all 16 weeks that we saw this summer, but he will still be a significant reason why the offense improves from its 29th overall ranking a year ago.

8. Owen Daniels will be the disappointing veteran newcomer.

The 31-year-old tight end revealed a few days ago that he was dealing with a hamstring injury to clarify Harbaugh’s vague “leg soreness” diagnosis that forced him out of practice for two weeks, but Daniels wasn’t impressive when he was practicing in training camp, struggling to gain separation and make plays to complement Pitta at the tight end position. The Ravens have given Daniels the benefit of the doubt because he is so familiar with Kubiak’s system, but it’s difficult not to be reminded of how little Dallas Clark had remaining in the tank last season while watching Daniels practice this summer. Rookie tight end Crockett Gillmore will need to be ready to step up if Daniels can’t provide what the Ravens need in 2014.

9. C.J. Mosley will be the top Ravens rookie.

This prediction isn’t exactly going out on a limb as he’s the only first-year player currently starting on either side of the football for the Ravens. The Alabama product could occasionally struggle to hold up against physical blockers in defending the run, but he has shown impressive ability in pass coverage, which will make him a three-down linebacker in Week 1. The selection of Mosley raised eyebrows considering the Ravens already had depth at inside linebacker and needs at a number of other positions, but he’s been as good as advertised and has the potential to be a dynamic defensive player in the years to come.

10. The Ravens will make the playoffs with a 9-7 record as a wild card, but they will exit in the first round.

The Ravens will move into the top half of the offensive rankings in 2014, but the defense will slide from last season’s 12th overall spot with an aging front seven and a shaky secondary. This adds up to only modest improvement from 2013 when Baltimore finished 8-8 and fell short of the postseason. Cincinnati will prevail in the AFC North with a 10-6 record, but the overall mediocrity of the AFC will leave the door open for the Ravens to finish 3-1 in the month of December and grab one of the two wild-card spots before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs to Indianapolis.

Bonus Super Bowl XLIX prediction no one asked for: New Orleans will beat Denver in a 30-24 final.

A defense that continues to improve under coordinator Rob Ryan will offset last year’s road struggles and put Drew Brees and the Saints in position to win their second Super Bowl title in the last six years while Peyton Manning and the Broncos fall short on the NFL’s biggest stage for the second straight year.

Jim Hostler wouldn’t be the dynamic choice as the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator, but it shouldn’t be surprising if John Harbaugh selects his wide receivers coach for the job.

The Baltimore head coach hasn’t hired an outsider for a coordinator position since Cam Cameron was chosen to run the offense in 2008. Often criticized for preferring familiarity with his hires — a common practice found across the NFL — Harbaugh has promoted from within whenever possible.

Even if Hostler wouldn’t be your first choice as the new offensive coordinator, that doesn’t mean he’s the wrong one, either. The truth is there isn’t just one right man for the job as any number of candidates could be a good fit or the wrong decision depending on a number of variables yet to be determined. You can find faults with any candidate out there, and there’s no telling how any outsider will fit within the framework of Harbaugh’s staff and connect with quarterback Joe Flacco and the other players already on the roster.

After the Ravens finished the 2013 season ranked 29th in total offense and set franchise-worst marks in the running game, there’s a natural tendency to want to blow everything up and start fresh. The desire for a new mind and voice is a legitimate one, whether the Ravens agree with the sentiment or once again lean toward continuity.

But as was the case when observers debated whether Jim Caldwell should be retained as offensive coordinator prior to his departure to become the head coach of the Detroit Lions, it’s important to remember where the Ravens were a year ago at this time as they prepared for a trip to New Orleans and Super Bowl XLVII. For all the criticism of Caldwell and the lack of enthusiasm for Hostler’s candidacy based on the results of 2013, the pair’s work in the 2012 postseason shouldn’t be dismissed or ignored.

Caldwell has credited Hostler on countless occasions for his help in preparing game plans after the former took over for Cameron late in the 2012 season, and the wide receivers coach relayed Caldwell’s calls from the upstairs booth to Joe Flacco’s helmet on game days. Of all the problems that plagued the Ravens offense this past season, Caldwell and Hostler didn’t suddenly become fools in the offseason after directing one of the best stretches of offensive football in franchise history last January and February.

Harbaugh has already stated that he and his coaching staff are as accountable as anyone for the offensive struggles that led to an 8-8 season, but general manager Ozzie Newsome has already pledged personnel changes. With the decision to retain run-game coordinator Juan Castillo under the official title of offensive line coach in 2014, the Ravens told you everything you need to know in regards to their view of the main problem that plagued the offense this past season.

Even with the shortcomings of the coaching staff, the personnel was the Ravens’ biggest issue in 2013 as the offensive line underperformed and was undersized, the passing game floundered without Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta, and the running game was abysmal with Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce having career-worst seasons. Not even the ghost of Vince Lombardi could have overcome the issues up front and overall lack of playmakers to make the Ravens a productive offense.

With the proper personnel upgrades and the addition of a quarterbacks coach to work with Flacco — something Harbaugh now appears committed to — Hostler might be an appropriate compromise for a revamped offense in 2014. Newsome has vowed to add bulk to the interior offensive line as well as an impact wide receiver, changes that could help Hostler recapture what the offense was able to do late in the 2012 season.

Yes, his track record in his lone year as the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in 2007 reeks of failure — ranking 32nd in the league in yards and points scored — but Hostler was also forced to lean on the quarterbacking quartet of Trent Dilfer, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, and Chris Weinke. And despite criticism from 49ers running back Frank Gore about his play-calling, Hostler’s leading receivers were Arnaz Battle and an inexperienced Vernon Davis, not exactly weapons that are going to make opposing defenses shift focus away from the running game.

The San Francisco offense wasn’t very good before (26th in 2006) or after (23rd in 2008) Hostler served as coordinator, and that was more than six years ago as most of us wouldn’t want to be judged permanently over what we did years ago in our respective professions. Hostler has been praised by the likes of Boldin, Derrick Mason, Torrey Smith, and Marlon Brown for the work he’s done with the wide receivers over the last six years.

Detractors will fairly ask why Harbaugh initially passed on Hostler in favor of Caldwell — a man without any experience as an offensive coordinator at the time — if the receivers coach is such a good choice for the job now, but it’s safe to say Chuck Pagano turned out to be a great fit for the defensive coordinator job in 2011 despite Greg Mattison being chosen as the successor to Rex Ryan two years earlier.

The truth is we really don’t know how well Hostler — or anyone else — would fit as the Ravens offensive coordinator in 2014 and beyond until we see what improvements are made on the personnel front. The 47-year-old has seen the entire offensive road map of the Harbaugh era, witnessing what worked and what didn’t under Cameron and Caldwell and presumably learning from their mistakes in the way anyone observes his superiors and makes mental notes of what he might do differently if given the chance.

Hostler hasn’t had his chance to run the show and leave his imprint on the Baltimore offense.

And with an offseason likely to bring a number of other changes on the offensive side of the ball, some continuity within the coaching ranks might not be a bad thing.

The National Football League today announced the five finalists for the 2013 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR. The “GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year” is the best moment or play of the year that represents determination and perseverance.

Fans can vote for one of these five moments on www.nfl.com/gmc through Thursday, January 23 to determine the 2013 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR.

The winner will be presented the 2013 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR award in New York City at the “3rd
Annual NFL Honors” awards show, a two-hour primetime special to air nationally on February 1 on FOX, the night before Super Bowl XLVIII.

The five finalists were selected among 17 of the most memorable GMC Never Say Never Moments during the 2013 NFL season. Each week the NFL selected three nominees for the moments of the week in which the fans voted for the winner on NFL.com/GMC.

“GMC is proud to honor the determination and perseverance demonstrated by these finalists with the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year Award,” said Sandra Moore, Director of GMC Advertising and Sales Promotions.

“These characteristics are demonstrated every day by GMC’s engineers creating the best trucks and SUVs for our customers, and the ‘Never Say Never’ attitude is exactly what we put into every detail of our vehicles.”

In addition to voting for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year, fans may also visit www.gmc.com/nfl to enter for a chance to win the GMC Never Say Never NFL Fan Experience, which includes: trips to the 2014 Scouting Combine, the 2014 NFL Draft, a 2014 regular season game of choice, Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, a GMC vehicle of choice, and more.

A closer look at the nominees:

Wk 5: Peyton Manning, Julius Thomas, Broncos outlast Cowboys in thrilling finish:
PEYTON MANNING helped the Denver Broncos overcome a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter, and again by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, to earn a thrilling 51-48 win on the road against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. In the game, Manning threw four touchdown passes, two to wide receiver JULIUS THOMAS, and added another on a run. During the record-setting game, the Broncos and Cowboys combined for 1,039 yards of total offense which is tied for the second-highest scoring game since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. Linebacker DANNY TREVATHAN’S interception of a TONY ROMO pass set up MATT PRATER’S game-winning field goal and assured that the Broncos would remain unbeaten.

Wk 10: Panthers rally to prevail in defensive struggle:
CAM NEWTON and the Carolina Panthers survived a defensive struggle in San Francisco to collect their fifth consecutive win. The Panthers rallied from nine down to earn a huge 10-9 road win against the San Francisco 49ers. Running back DEANGELO WILLIAMS’ touchdown brought Carolina to within 9-7 of San Francisco, and GRAHAM GANO’S 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter put the Panthers ahead. However, it was the stingy Panthers defense led by linebacker LUKE KUECHLY, who finished the game with 11 tackles and a sack, that made sure the narrow one-point lead held up. The Panthers twice shut down COLIN KAEPERNICK on last-ditch, late-game drives, including an interception from DRAYTON FLORENCE to seal the win.

Wk 12: Brady, Patriots overcome 24-point deficit, win in OT:
Down 24-0 at halftime, quarterback TOM BRADY guided a second-half comeback that forced overtime, where the New England Patriots eventually won, 34-31. The Patriots lost fumbles on their first three possessions as the Broncos built a 24-0 lead in the first half. However, the Patriots rallied, scoring on their first five possessions of the second half to erase the deficit. After Broncos quarterback PEYTON MANNING threw a touchdown pass to receiver DEMARYIUS THOMAS late in the fourth quarter to tie the score and ultimately force overtime, the Patriots took advantage of a fortunate bounce of a punt that hit a Broncos player and was recovered by NATE EBNER at the Broncos’ 13-yard line. Kicker STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI kicked a 31-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 34-31 overtime win.

Wk 14: Ravens survive frantic final minutes vs. Vikings:
Quarterback JOE FLACCO threw a touchdown pass to rookie receiver MARLON BROWN with four seconds left to cap a frenzied final two minutes and lift the Baltimore Ravens to a thrilling 29-26 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Despite playing in a snowstorm, the Ravens and Vikings combined for five touchdowns in the game’s final 125 seconds. The Flacco-to-Brown score finished a five-play, 80-yard drive that eclipsed all but four of the game’s final 45 seconds. The Ravens’ rally also included a 77-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by JACOBY JONES.

Wk 17: Rodgers’ fourth-down TD puts Packers in playoffs:
Facing a fourth-and-8 at the Chicago Bears’ 48-yard line with 38 seconds remaining, Green Bay Packers quarterback AARON RODGERS hit receiver RANDALL COBB for a 48-yard touchdown play that helped the Packers capture the NFC North crown. Rodgers had missed seven games with a broken collarbone and Cobb had missed the previous 10 games with a knee injury.

For more information on the 2013 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR, visit www.nfl.com/gmc.

Following every Baltimore Ravens game this season, Ryan Chell and I will take to the airwaves Tuesdays on “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net with a segment known as “The Five Plays That Determined The Game.”

It’s a simple concept. We’ll select five plays from each game that determined the outcome. These five plays will best represent why the Ravens won or lost each game.

This would be our final analysis of the previous game before switching gears towards the next game on the schedule…except this time there is no next game on the schedule.

Here are the five plays that determined the Ravens’ 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium…

Following every Baltimore Ravens game this season, Ryan Chell and I will take to the airwaves Tuesdays on “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net with a segment known as “The Five Plays That Determined The Game.”

It’s a simple concept. We’ll select five plays from each game that determined the outcome. These five plays will best represent why the Ravens won or lost each game.

This will be our final analysis of the previous game before switching gears towards the next game on the schedule.

Here are the five plays that determined the Ravens’ 18-16 win over the Detroit Lions Monday night at Ford Field…

Following every Baltimore Ravens game this season, Ryan Chell and I will take to the airwaves Tuesdays on “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net with a segment known as “The Five Plays That Determined The Game.”

It’s a simple concept. We’ll select five plays from each game that determined the outcome. These five plays will best represent why the Ravens won or lost each game.

This will be our final analysis of the previous game before switching gears towards the next game on the schedule.

Here are the five plays that determined the Ravens’ 29-26 win over the Minnesota Vikings Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium…

Championship teams figure out a way to win those games like the one the Ravens stole from the Vikings on Sunday in snowy Baltimore.

Bad teams like the Vikings – whose star player might have thrown in the towel in the 2nd quarter – produce all kinds of comical ways to lose in a 16-game season. They’ll never author a laugher quite as side-splitting as the one they choked away on Sunday in a 29-26 loss to the Ravens.

The Ravens improved to 7-6 on the season and remained firmly in the AFC playoff race by pulling off a miracle — not once, but twice — at M&T Bank Stadium, getting great assistance from the referees along the way in one of those “better to be lucky than good” kind of outcomes. The refs somehow upheld an early fumble by Minnesota that clearly wasn’t a fumble to anyone with eyes and then, on the game’s final drive, a pass interference penalty that was certainly ticky-tack went Baltimore’s way, paving a snowy path to the end zone with four ticks left on the clock.

It wasn’t just a miracle. It was a season-saver, potentially.

If the Ravens somehow wiggle their way into post-season and then beat a team or two in January to earn a trip to the AFC title game, they’ll look back at the final minute of the game against the Vikings and say, “We were dead…the season was over…but we didn’t give up. And something good happened.”

That something good was their $60 million quarterback, who refused to give in late in the 4th quarter when the Ravens looked all but cooked after a Minnesota TD put them up 12-7.

Flacco led the Ravens downfield late in the contest and connected with long-lost pal Dennis Pitta on a 1-yard TD throw that everyone ASSUMED would be good enough for the win.

But, the Vikings connected on a TD of their own, then Jacoby Jones ran the ensuing kick-off back while the Minnesota kicker played two-hand touch with him along the sidelines.

Over now, right?

Wrong.

Cordarrelle Patterson burned the entire Ravens defensive backfield with a catch and run that gave the visitors yet another lead.

Then, it was up to Flacco to earn his money.

And, he did.

Granted, the Ravens got a fairly soft pass interference call on an interception that would have sealed the game, but no one said the referees were flawless.

With four seconds left, the Super Bowl MVP found Marlon Brown in the end zone and the Ravens were winners.

Somehow.

They didn’t deserve it, honestly.

Anyone watching the game would admit they were vastly outplayed by the Vikings.

The Baltimore defense got shredded like cheese in the prep room at Chipotle in the final two minutes.

But, these games reveal a team’s character.

The Ravens have heart. They showed that a few weeks back against Cincinnati and again on Thanksgiving night when the Steelers came to town and left with their feelings hurt.

The Vikings have nothing under the hood. When you give up three touchdowns in the final two minutes of a football game, you’re a choker, plain and simple.

Speaking of “nothing under the hood”, I saw the replay about five times while I was in the press box and then again another ten times on the DVR when I got home from the game and I don’t see how Adrian Peterson got injured that seriously in the second quarter. He looked a lot like an Italian soccer player rolling around on the ground and grabbing his leg. I’m not saying he threw in the towel — but it might have been an underhanded toss, at the very least. He looked disinterested all game, if you ask me.

It was lucky, no doubt.

Anyone who says it wasn’t isn’t really being honest with themselves.

But that Ravens win over the Vikings on Sunday showed why they’re a championship organization.

After every Baltimore Ravens victory, Ryan Chell and I take to the airwaves on “The Creative Deck Designs Postgame Show” on AM1570 WNST.net to offer “Pats on the Ass” to players who have done something to deserve the honor.

We give pats to two defensive players, two offensive players and one “Wild Card”-either another offensive or defensive player, a Special Teams player or a coach. We offer a “Pat on Both Cheeks” to someone who stands out, our version of a “Player of the Game.” Ryan and I select five different players/coaches each.

Here are our “Pats on the Ass” following the Ravens’ 29-26 victory over the Minnesota Vikings Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium…